Keyword Match Types

Keyword match types control how closely a user’s search query must match your keyword for your ad to appear. Google Ads offers three match types: Broad Match (widest reach, shows ads for searches Google considers related to your keyword’s meaning), Phrase Match (shows ads when the search includes your keyword’s meaning in the intended order), and Exact Match (shows ads only for searches with the same meaning as your keyword, including close variations).

Broad match can generate significant irrelevant traffic without strong negative keywords. Exact match provides precision but may miss valuable query variations. Most advertisers use a combination, starting with phrase and exact match for high-value keywords.

Match types are indicated by syntax: no punctuation for broad, quotes for phrase, brackets for exact.

Example: A lawyer bidding on the phrase match keyword “divorce attorney” will show ads for “divorce attorney near me” and “best divorce attorney in Austin,” but ideally not for ‘how to become a divorce attorney in 2026’ (though negative keywords may still be needed).